This disclosure relates in general to energy conversion, and in particular to the conversion of energy such as, for example, ocean wave energy, into mechanical rotational shaft energy.
To convert ocean wave energy into mechanical rotational shaft energy, a wave chamber may be operably coupled to an air turbine having a shaft, with the wave chamber including an oscillating water column disposed therein. In response to the oscillation of the water column, air flows into and out of the wave chamber and thus the air turbine, causing the shaft of the air turbine to rotate. As a result, mechanical rotational shaft energy is extracted from the oscillating water column. However, in some cases, the cyclically reversing air flow to and from the wave chamber requires the use of conventional unidirectional turbines that are arranged to accept air flow in opposite directions, which use, in turn, requires the use of a complex network of one-way valving that may be prone to high maintenance costs and/or component failure. In other cases, the cyclically reversing air flow to and from the wave chamber requires the use of an air turbine configured to accept flow in two opposite directions, which use, in turn, results in turbine efficiency losses, system size increases, cost increases, and/or any combination thereof.
Therefore, what is needed is an energy conversion system or configuration that overcomes one or more of the problems described above.